You're Beautiful
by IBeliveInBlueFoods
Summary: Brittany meets the most beautiful stranger on the subway and is instantly drawn to her. It was fate that caused their unlikely meeting but will it be enough to keep them together? Or will their own personal struggles keep them from their happy ending? -Brittana- Inspired by the song of the same name by James Blunt.
1. Chapter 1

The moon was high in the sky when Brittany stumbled down the steps of the subway station, her bag slung carelessly over her shoulder as she rushed to jump onto the train. No sooner had her foot hit the metal floor of the subway did the doors slide shut behind her. The train lurched forward and the blonde girl barely had time to catch herself before she tumbled to the floor, earning a snicker from the mohawked man sitting in the seat across from where she had fallen on the ground. Her eyes darted up to shoot him a glare but it only caused him to laugh more. Brittany picked herself up off the floor and plopped in her usual seat by the door. Pulling the hood of her jacket over her head, Brittany slumped into the seat and was getting ready to sleep through the long ride when mohawk man spoke.

"Have a nice trip?" he called and immediately started laughing at his attempt at humor. The woman next to him, whom Brittany hadn't noticed before, gave him a rough hit to the arm and threw Brittany an apologetic look as he winced in pain. Brittany couldn't help the smirk that appeared on her face as she watched the man rub his arm in pain. Mohawk man was quickly forgotten when Brittany's blue eyes met the warm brown of the other woman. Brittany was certain that she was the most beautiful woman ever to walk the Earth. Her dark hair was hanging loose around her head and Brittany was certain she'd never seen a warmer pair of eyes. Though most would only focus on the coldness they seemed to exude, Brittany could see past the front and into the soft side.

A small smile appeared on the woman's face when she caught Brittany staring and she shyly tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. Not caring that she was caught, Brittany continued to examine the woman's red work uniform with black buttons, a white apron tied around her slim waist. Spotting a name tag sporting the surname "Lopez", the blonde repeated the name over and over in her head, vowing never to forget it.

Brittany glance over to mohawk man and saw he was partaking in the nap she had originally been planning on but now had no desire for, instead opting to return the gaze of the mysterious "Lopez". When blue eyes landed back on brown, the women was no longer looking at Brittany's face but at her clothes, making Brittany conscious of her messy appearance. She didn't like wearing her work clothes home because they always smelled like cigarettes and booze and left people staring for longer than she was comfortable with. She ran out of back-up clothes and forgot to bring more so she had to borrow some from the club bouncer, Fin. He was a foot taller than her and had about 150 pounds on her and the contrast was very clear in how his clothes hung off her body. She couldn't complain, though. Only a handful of strangers were going to see her like this and then forget all about her as soon as they hopped off. As her eyes met the brown across from hers, however, she hoped the last part wouldn't be true for all the strangers.

When Lopez's eyes met Brittany's next, there was a question behind the slight scrunch of her nose and crease of her brow. Brittany couldn't think of a way to answer without breaking their quiet game so she shrugged and offered a lopsided grin as response. This earned Lopez to squint questioningly at Brittany and the blonde girl couldn't help the small giggle she let out at the sight.

The train lurched to a stop and Brittany was careful not to fall over this time. The rough movement caused mohawk man to jolt awake and look around for whatever woke him up.

"This is your stop," Lopez told him and gave him a nudge. He nodded and stood up, obviously not ready to be awake yet. He bent down to plant a kiss on the woman's cheek before hastily leaving the train. Brittany frowned at this action and at the small smile Lopez gave him but didn't let that deter her from her mission. The train lurched forward again and once it was back on its steady pace, Brittany stood up and plopped into the seat right next to the woman to her obvious surprise.

The blonde stuck out her right hand. "I'm Brittany," she said and waited as the woman slowly brought her hand up to shake Brittany's. Her hand was soft and warm, bringing a smile and small blush to her cheeks.

"Santana," she replied and brought her hand back to clasp with her other in her lap. There was a long pause while they both took in each other's appearance from up close. "So," Santana said finally, "what's with the clothes? Did you just rob a giant?" Brittany laughed and shook her head. When Brittany first saw Fin she also thought he might be a giant, but that could also be due to the fact that she was shitfaced at the time.

"I borrowed them from a co-worker," was the reply. "And the jury's still on if he's a giant or not," she added and Santana let out a small laugh. They sat in silence for another moment before it was Brittany's turn to ask a question. "Was that your boyfriend?" was what slipped out of her mouth. Santana snapped her head back to the blonde from where she'd been staring at the floor.

"I guess you could say that," a pause, "It's complicated." She seemed to be done talking but Brittany pressed further.

"What does that mean?" she asked and Santana's eyes bore into her and Brittany regretted pressing her. Brittany met her intense stare but she could see the slight falter in how she held herself. The blonde was more fascinated in trying to decipher the hurt she could see lurking behind the dark eyes but decided to drop it when it was clear Santana wasn't going to give in.

"My last name is Pierce, by the way," she said instead and was shot a curious look.

"Why did you tell me that?" Santana eyes her curiously.

Brittany shrugged, "because it's only fair that you know mine since I know yours."

At that comment, Santana's eyes grew wide and she visibly tensed. "How do you know my last name? I just met you," she said nervously and earned a sly smile from Brittany.

"It's on your name tag," the blonde supplied and lightly tapped the small piece of plastic. Santana looked down and let out a relieved laugh as she calmed back down.

"Right, of course," was all she said before Brittany caught her eye again and they just looked at each other. Brittany didn't think it was possible but Santana was even more beautiful now that she was seeing her up close and got to hear that intoxicating voice. Brittany opened her mouth to say something else when the train lurched to another stop. Not expecting it, Santana fell forward but was caught by Brittany's strong arms. They were impossibly close, giving Brittany the chance to examine those warm eyes up close, picking out the different shades of brown hidden by the dark. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other and Brittany never felt more complete than she did having Santana so close and in her arms.

"This is my stop," Santana breathed out, breaking the moment, and Brittany nodded slowly before releasing the girl and helping her to stand on her feet. Santana stood there, just looking down at Brittany before her eyes widened and she pulled out a small notepad and pen and scribbling something down. She ripped out a page and practically threw it at Brittany before dashing out of the train just as the doors slid shut.

Clutching the paper in her hand, Brittany uncrumpled it to see the message.

There was a phone number written next to a crude drawing of a smiley face. A grin spread on Brittany's face as she stared down at the note. She continued reading over the number, committing it to memory all the way until it was her stop. Only then did she fold it neatly and tuck it deep into the front pocket of her backpack.

On the trek back to her shared apartment, Brittany forgoed her usual trip to the 24/7 liquor store a few blocks from the station and went straight home.

She slowly opened the front door and peaked in, having walked in on Sam with some girl a few too many times for her liking. Seeing that the coast was clear, she walked in and locked the door behind her before making her way to the kitchen. She pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge before reading the note sitting on the counter.

 _Tina made pasta, leftovers in fridge. -Sam_

Brittany crumpled the note and threw it away before turning out the light and feeling her way to her room in the dark. As she passed Sam's room, she listened until she heard the faint sound of his snoring before continuing down the hall to her own room.

She and Sam had been best friends and inseparable since they were little kids. Everyone always confused them for siblings but Brittany found that offensive since her mouth wasn't nearly as big as his. They tried dating in high school but they decided they were better as friends. That was a particularly awkward time when half the school still thought they were siblings and since they were openly dating there were rumors of incest.

Brittany wrinkled her nose at the memory as she changed out of Fin's enormous clothes and into a t-shirt and cotton shorts. She threw Fin's clothes in with her dirty laundry before grabbing a hair tie off her dresser. Pulling her blonde hair into a ponytail, Brittany walked over to her backpack and felt around inside until she found the neatly folded paper. Unfolding it, Brittany stared at the number again before setting it on her nightstand and tucking it under the edge of her small lamp. She opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out her bottle of sleeping pills. Unscrewing the water bottle, Brittany swallowed two of the capsules before putting everything back and turning off the lamp. Collapsing onto the bed, Brittany drifted to sleep staring at the small paper on her night stand. She dreamed about the beautiful woman as those seven magical digits swirled through her brain.


	2. Chapter 2

Brittany woke to the sound of loud music playing. Her head lifted off the bed and her face scrunched in annoyance before she recognized one of Tina's favorite heavy metal bands and she plopped back down. The upside to having roommates was cheaper rent and someone always had food, but Brittany was starting to get tired of the other girl's Friday ritual of blaring music to start the day. While Tina had to be up and out the door by 8:30 am, Brittany didn't even really need to wake up until 4pm.

As Brittany checked the clock on her wall and saw that it was 6 in the morning, she went through the pros and cons of kicking Tina out and decided that it wasn't worth it. Tina loved to cook so there was always food.

Rolling over, blue eyes landed on a small piece of paper tucked under her lamp. She grabbed it and read over it again, making sure it hadn't somehow been erased overnight or stolen by the troll that lives on the fire escape outside her window. Pressing it into her hand and pulling her blanket over her head to block the noise, Brittany drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

The next time Brittany woke up, it was due to a knocking on her bedroom door. Looking back at her clock, she saw it was noon and decided it was time to get up. The blonde sat up and, setting the paper back on her nightstand, stretched her hands up over her head.

"Come in," she called and watched as the door opened and Sam peeked in. When his eyes landed on hers, his big mouth grew into a grin.

"Did you see my note?" he asked as he plopped down at the end of Brittany's bed, mindful of her long legs still hidden under the covers. Brittany nodded her response before grabbing her water bottle off the nightstand and downing the rest of it. "Are you hungry?" Sam asked and Brittany hummed out a "no" before laying back down. Her mind drifted to the dark haired beauty that plagued her sleep the second time around. A smile crept up on her face at the memory that didn't go unnoticed by Sam.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked with a smug grin as he scooted closer to her. "You did come back late last night. Was it because you were in the arms of some dark mysterious woman who swept you off your feet and into her bedroom for some horizontal dancing?"

Brittany sat up and chuckled at his antics. "Dark mysterious woman? Yes. Swept off my feet? Only by the laws of physics," she said and pointed deftly to the paper under her lamp. Sam reached over and examined the paper before looking back at the other blonde with furrowed eyebrows.

"Was she eight years old?" he asked and held up the paper and gestured to the sloppy scrawl and awful smiley face. Brittany laughed and shook her head, taking the paper back and looking over it again.

"She was in a rush. It was her stop and she only had a few seconds," she explained and slid the paper back under her lamp. "And even if that was her normal handwriting, I wouldn't care. She's probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my entire life," she mused as her mind went back to the night previous.

"So when are you going to call her?" Sam asked and Brittany gave him a blank stare. The thought of seeing her again both excited and terrified her. Not to mention the complication in the form of mohawk man. Brittany shrugged and stared at the ceiling. Sam let out a sigh and stood up. When he made it to the threshold, he turned back and said "if you don't call her, I will!" before closing the door behind him.

Brittany rubbed the last bits of sleep from her eyes before finally standing up. Stretching up to her full height and checking the time again, the blonde decided that if ever were a time for getting inspiration in the shower, it was now. Grabbing a clean towel from the closet in the hall, Brittany locked herself in the bathroom and started up the hot water.

* * *

The stream of water hit Brittany's face and she sighed at the feeling of her muscles relaxing. She always felt so gross after coming back from the club.

As the steam filled the small room, Brittany though back to her encounter on the train.

 _There's definitely something going on between Santana and mohawk, that's for sure,_ she thought as she washed her body with the bar on the rack. _They didn't seem affectionate towards each other at all until mohawk got off the train and kissed her cheek, but even then it was just her cheek._

Brittany couldn't make sense of it. Santana said it was complicated and was obviously not comfortable talking about it with a stranger.

 _Unrequited love?_ Brittany thought then immediately scrunched her nose and shook the idea away. She mulled the information over in her head for the rest of her shower but it wasn't until she was rinsing out the last of her conditioner that she had her revelation.

 _Friends with benefits!_

It was the only logical explanation Brittany could think of but she still couldn't be sure. Wrapping the towel around herself and padding back to her room, blue eyes landed again on the paper under her lamp. It still didn't seem to explain it all and that was just one more excuse for Brittany to call Santana.

 _But if they're sleeping together, why did they get off at separate stops?_

She supposed it didn't have to be an every night kind of deal. Maybe that's what they'd just got done doing and were heading home. Brittany pushed that thought away.

Even if this mohawk man was a boyfriend of sorts, Brittany was confident in herself. She wasn't vain or anything, but she knew she was attractive and she knew there was a reason everyone wanted to sleep with her.

Pulling on a clean pair of shorts and t-shirt, the blonde thought back to her silent conversation with Santana before they properly spoke and thought on the vibes she was getting from her. Not able to tell if the vibes were just from her being an incredibly attractive woman or if they were the gay vibes she gets from Sam sometimes, Brittany decided it was both and grabbed her phone from her backpack and the paper from under the lamp.

Opening her window and hitting the frame a couple of times to scare away the troll, the blonde climbed out onto the fire escape and sat against the wall so she could look out at the city. It wasn't an exactly nice part of town and Brittany was sure to add an extra set of locks after they moved in, but it was nice enough.

There was a hole in the wall where a brick had fallen out that Brittany had found was an excellent hiding spot. She pulled out the pack of cigarettes and the lighter, glad that the troll hadn't stolen them yet, and stuck one between her teeth.

The sting was familiar as she inhaled the nicotine. Brittany knew smoking was bad, she'd seen the billboards and PSA's on the train, but by the time someone decided to try and get her to quit, it was too late and the addiction had set in. Her body was dependent and she had no choice but to bend to its will.

After getting in a few good drags, she unlocked her phone and added the number into her contacts. The next 20 minutes were spent deciding if she was going to call or text. Texting would give Santana the opportunity to ignore her for the rest of her life while calling would let Brittany hear that wonderful voice again. It would have been a no brainer if she wasn't scared she'd have to hear that voice tell her to never contact her again.

Brittany's thumb hovered over the call button, hesitant. "Screw it," she muttered and pressed her thumb down all the way.

Brittany brought her phone to her ear and anxiously listened as the phone rang. She went to take another drag but saw she used up the whole cigarette. Stuffing it out against the wall, she went to reach for her pack when someone on the other line picked up.

" _Hello?_ "

Brittany sucked in a breath at the sound of the voice she'd been dreaming of.

" _Is someone there?_ " She sounded annoyed.

It's now or never.

"It's Brittany, is this Santana?" Brittany spoke up and waited for an answer. She knew it was her, she'd never forget that voice.

" _Brittany?! Yes, this is Santana!_ " Santana's voice brightened and Brittany felt a smile creep its way onto her face.

"Yeah, this is Brittany," she said and mentally slapped herself.

 _Way to go, dummy! Now she probably thinks you're incompetent!_

"Did you make it home alright?" she asked, hoping the new question would distract Santana from her previous comment.

" _Yeah, I don't live that far from the subway station,_ " Santana answered, the only evidence that she heard Brittany's blunder being the small laugh she let out.

Santana asked her the same and Brittany told her that it was fine and how Tina made pasta. They continued on to talk about their favorite kinds of pasta and Brittany discovered that Santana works at a diner downtown.

" _Listen, It's been great talking to you but I have to go, my shift starts soon and I need to go pick up my roommate from the airport,_ " Santana said apologetically and Brittany deflated. She was about to say goodbye when Santana spoke again. " _Do you...would you maybe like to grab lunch tomorrow? Or maybe a coffee?_ " Brittany sat back up and abandoned the piece of loose string on her shirt she'd been messing with.

"I'd like that a lot, actually," Brittany said with a small smile. "Are you busy tomorrow? There's this Italian place near my apartment that has the best spaghetti ever," Brittany suggested and hoped the other woman would accept.

" _That sounds great! I really have to go but text me the address and a time and I'll be there,_ " she said and Brittany said she would. They exchanged goodbyes and hung up. With her head pressed back against the brick wall of her apartment, Brittany closed her eyes and allowed herself a few moments to collect herself and reign in her excitement. Her phone call with Santana went way better than she could have ever imagined and the fact that she was going to get to see her in person sent her heart racing. She brought her hands up to cup her face at an attempt to suppress her grin but it broke through anyways.

Her smile faded when she realized she realized she had yet to text Santana the address of the restaurant. She texted her the directions and told her to meet at 2 in the afternoon. Slipping her phone back in her pocket, she stuffed the cigarette pack and lighter back into the hole before climbing back inside and sliding the window shut.

Sam was sitting on the couch in the living room, his eyes glued to the TV as loud, violent sounds roared from the speakers. Brittany watched for a few minutes as Sam's character ran around the map, blasting alien-looking monsters as he ran through the map. The feeling of her phone buzzing in her pocket caught her attention and she pulled her phone out to see she had a new text from Santana.

 _ **Santana: gr8, cant wait 2 c u**_

Brittany stared at the message, not sure if it constituted a response before decided on sending a smiley face and a thumbs up.

Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Brittany grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat next to Sam on the couch. She picked up the second controller and joined in on his game. They played for a few hours, only pausing when the pizza Sam ordered came, and then it was time for Brittany to leave for work.

* * *

Work was the same as usual. Men gave her dirty looks and Finn tried to hit on her in the locker room when she gave him back his clothes. She made bank in tips and there was only one fight that resulted in something being broken.

Brittany was sad to see that Santana wasn't on the train but didn't let that damper the good mood she'd been in ever since her conversation with Santana. It was around 3am when Brittany finally got home but Sam was still up and doing shots with some guy she didn't recognize.

"Brittany!" he hollered as soon as she stepped through the door. "Come join us!" he said and held out the bottle to her. Her attempts at protesting were unsuccessful and she found herself joining in. She learned the newcomer was named Matt and he and Sam met at the park. Apparently, the two of them and some other guys started up an impromptu game of football. The other guys left earlier but Matt was the only one who stayed.

Brittany didn't mind him, though. He seemed more interested in Sam than her and that was alright by her.

* * *

When Brittany woke up the next morning, the light filtering in from the window was right in her eyes. She drank in moderation with the boys, not wanting to show up to lunch hungover. Sam and Matt drank until they couldn't walk and stumbled into Sam's room when they though Brittany was asleep. She'd downed a glass of ice water and collapsed back onto the couch where she spent the night.

Brittany squinted against the light and sat up. She picked up Sam's discarded watch from the floor and read the time.

 _ **12:18pm**_

The blonde groaned and stood up, stretching to her full height before slowly making her way to hre bedroom. When she was passing Sam's room, the door swung open to reveal Matt. He looked at Brittany with a strange look before making a beeline for the front door. Brittany heard it slam and peeked inside the still open door to see that Sam was still fast asleep under his blanket. Confused but still not awake enough to think too much on the events that unfolded, Brittany entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Now back on the fire escape, a lit cigarette between her fingers, Brittany mentally prepared herself for lunch with Santana. In all honesty Brittany wasn't sure what to expect. Their conversations had been friendly but she couldn't shake the way she felt when she gazed into those chocolate eyes.

In the past, Brittany hadn't had much luck with dating. Sure, she'd gone on dates before but what the other person was looking for wasn't always the same as what she was. They were usually only interested in what would happen afterwards, and the ones that lasted longer than one night quickly gave up on romantics until it was back to only meeting up a few times a week for a couple of hours. She wanted something that would last.

Maybe Santana would want the same.

Flicking the butt of her cigarette off the side of the railing, Brittany put her stuff away and clambered back into her room.

She remembers when they were first moving in and she practically begged Sam for the room. It had taken her biggest puppy eyes and the promise of take-out before he conceded. Sam's room had one small window that faced the side of the building next to them so it was always dark. Tina's room didn't have any windows and that was much worse in Brittany's opinion but Tina liked the darkness. The blonde couldn't understand why but it wasn't on her top priorities of things to figure out.

What was on her list, however, was her meeting with Santana.

Brittany slipped out of her pants and grabbed her phone from the pocket. She turned it on to check the time and make sure she had time to change into something nice-ish. She didn't want t pull out all the stops on the first whatever this was.

The time read it was almost one thirty and she had a new message from Santana.

 _ **Santana: c u 2**_

Brittany smiled at her phone before tossing it onto her bed and changing into her cleanest pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt with a black and blue flannel over it. After brushing her hair long, blonde hair and pulling it into a ponytail, Brittany shoved her wallet and phone into her pocket and grabbed her sunglasses from her nightstand drawer.

Sam was in the kitchen when Brittany walked down the hall and into the front area of the apartment.

"Morning," he called from where he was constructing a sandwich. "Going somewhere?" he asked, throwing her a curious look.

Brittany looked up from where she was tying her grey converse. "I'm going out to lunch, I'll be back in a couple of hours," she replied and, grabbing her keys from the hook by the door, left the apartment and headed to the elevators.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Do you want short chapters more often or longer chapters less often?**

 **Short chapters would probably get posted a couple times a week, longer chapters would get posted about once a week.**

 **As the story progresses the chapters will get longer, I'm just trying to get the ball rolling for now and then the events will start unfolding.**

 **Thanks for reading and for the favs and follows and reviews! I appreciate them a lot and I hope they keep coming!**


	3. Chapter 3

There were a few people milling around the street when Brittany arrived at her destination. She looked around for Santana then checked the time.

Brittany was 15 minutes early. The blonde let out a small chuckle as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. She took the opportunity to take a smoke break in between the laundromat and convenience store across the street, all the while keeping an eye out for Santana.

Although it was unlikely, Brittany was scared Santana wouldn't show. She had no reason to stand up the blonde but Brittany couldn't shake the highly irrational fear that the other girl was a fabrication of her imagination.

Brittany took the lighter back out of her pocket before checking the time on her phone.

 _ **2:04**_

Brittany looked nervously around the street but saw no sign of the brunette. She began fidgeting with her lighter as she leaned back against the wall of the laundromat. Taking one last drag she decided that she'd have one more smoke and then go back home and pretend this never happened.

Just as she was pulling out the small box, Brittany saw a flash of familiar dark hair as the door the restaurant opened and closed.

Shoving the small box and lighter deep into her pocket, Brittany walked across the near empty street towards _Mario's._

Standing outside the entrance, Brittany straightened her flannel and tightened her ponytail before pulling open the big, wooden door.

* * *

Brittany took in the soft lighting of Mario's as she took off her sunglasses and slid them into her flannel pocket. She looked around the small space until her blue eyes found Santana settling into a booth in the corner. Swiping her bangs to the side, Brittany made her way to the booth where Santana was typing on her phone.

Santana noticed Brittany approaching and her face perked in recognition. "Brittany! I was just about to text you," she grinned and watched Brittany slide into the booth across from her. "I was scared you weren't gonna show," Santana confessed and Brittany gave her an incredulous look.

"And miss lunch with a beautiful girl? Not in my lifetime," Brittany said and watched Santana's mouth form into a shy smile and her cheeks redden as she looked down at her hands on the table.

Santana opened her mouth to say something when the waitress appeared and took their orders. They settled into easy conversation but every few minutes Santana's phone would buzz and she'd roll her eyes after checking it without sending a reply.

The waitress came back with their drinks and Brittany sipped hers while she watched Santana glare at her phone.

Finally, after the fourth time, Brittany couldn't hold in her curiosity. "Who's that?" she asked and nodded to the other girl's phone.

"Oh," Santana said, seemingly surprised Brittany had noticed the persistent messenger. "That's Puck, he's the guy I was on the train with," she explained before picking up her phone and typing out a short reply before aggressively hitting send.

"Does he need something? Do you need to go?" The blonde asked and hoped beyond hope she would say no. Based on the girl's clear annoyance Brittany could tell a message from Puck wasn't something she longed for and fueled Brittany's hope that they weren't together.

Santana shook her head and slid the device into her purse. "One of my roommates was cast as the lead in a broadway show so her dads are throwing her a huge party to celebrate and he won't stop complaining about having to go," she explained. She picked up the drink the waitress brought them and sipped from the glass.

"So Puck..." Brittany started and Santana looked at her expectantly. "He's your boyfriend?" she asked and Santana nearly choked on her coke as it sputtered from her mouth. Brittany's eyes widened and she quickly grabbed her napkin to try and help Santana clean up the mess.

"Shit," she cursed as she looked down at her shirt. Once a crisp white shirt, the blouse was now speckled with the dark liquid of her drink that would surely stain. "I have an interview today," she sighed and pouted down at her ruined top.

"My apartment isn't far from here, you can borrow something if you want," Brittany offered and Santana perked up at the offer.

"That would be great," she smiled at the blonde and took another sip of what was left of her drink.

The two girls fell into a silence but there was still something bugging the blonde. "So this Puck guy isn't your boyfriend," she said and Santana nodded in confirmation.

"It's complicated," she started and Brittany leaned forward to listen. "We dated on and off in high school but we decided it was better if we just stopped,"she said and Brittany nodded but was still confused.

"So you guys are just friends?" she asked and Santana looked down sheepishly, she almost looked embarrassed.

"Not exactly, like I said, it's complicated," she said and Brittany opened her mouth to ask another question when Santana shook her head and held up a hand. "I don't want to talk about it," she said and the blonde promptly shut her mouth.

There was a tense shift in the air and Brittany sipped her lemonade, wishing it had alcohol in it. Santana was looking everywhere but at the person across from her and Brittany sighed and started looking around the room. There were only a few other people there so a couple of the waiters were hanging around trying to look busy. She saw their waitress and waved her over.

She came over with a smile and eyes the soiled napkins before taking Santana's glass to get her a refill. Santana seemed to have calmed down a bit so Brittany tried talking again.

"What's the interview for? New job?" she asked tentatively and Santana seemed relieved at a change in topic.

"Kind of," she started, "I work at a restaurant with my roommates and our manager, Gunter, got fired so they're looking for someone to replace him," she said and Brittany nodded, completely engaged.

"The same roommate that's in broadway?" she asked and Santana nooded.

"My main competition is Kurt, my other roommate, because he is a total control freak and is a shoe in. On any other day I would be worried about Rachel, but since she has the musical coming up she's going to quit," she explained and went on to talk about Rachel's obsessive habits and how she was a total tyrant back in high school.

Santana explained glee club to Brittany and the blonde watched her dark eyes shine as she recounted memories of singing and dancing with her closest friends. Brittany wished she had something like that growing up, the closest she had was her dance studio that became her safe place. She listened intently, absorbing each word and promising never to forget the radiant smile the brunette had while she talked.

Santana was telling her about the time when her school glee club won Nationals when the food came and she cut her story short.

The only sounds coming from their table was forks twirling into pasta and murmurs of how good their food was. Brittany was glad Santana liked the food and hoped it would make a good excuse to hang out with her more. She was still confused about the other girl's relationship with Puck but decided that since there wasn't a label she still had a shot.

Assuming Santana liked girls, that was.

It was hard to tell because she'd only seen her in work clothes and what she would wear to impress someone from corporate, but judging by the way she was not-so-subtly leering at the waitress, she figured she had a good chance.

They finished eating and fought over the check until Brittney snatched it and held it out of reach of the other girl.

"Fine," Santana huffed, "but next time it's on me." Brittany smiled a wide, giddy grin.

 _Next time._

* * *

"My apartment's just a couple blocks away," Brittany said as she exited Mario's with Santana in tow.

They walked down the street, Brittany pointed out some of her favorite places to get a quick bite that were close and the small park she liked to go when the weather was nice enough.

Santana seemed interested and didn't seem like she was freaked out by the rundown buildings and shifty characters on the street. Brittany didn't know much about Santana so she had been nervous about her reaction to their old and tiny apartment building, but seeing how nonchalant she was about the neighborhood, she relaxed.

"This is it," she announced with a small wave of her hand as they stopped in front of her building.

Santana looked up at the old brick building."Cool," she breathed and followed Brittany inside.

* * *

Sam was passed out on the couch when the two girls walked in, an XBox controller loosely held in the hand hanging from the couch. On the TV a character clad in armor and wearing a hood stood standing still while other characters milled around. Santana gave her a curious look.

"That's Sam," Brittany said as explanation and guided Santana to her room. She showed her where her clothes were and made sure Santana found something to wear before leaving to go check on Sam.

Falling asleep while playing video games wasn't uncommon for the blonde boy and Brittany knew how to handle it. She made the mistake of turning off the console without saving it only one time, and after being ignored for a week and Sam stealing her favorite stuffed unicorn, Brittany made sure to never do it again.

Picking up the controller, careful not to wake Sam, she saved the game before turning everything off. There was a blanket hanging on the back of the couch and she pulled it over Sam. She watched him snuggle into the soft material and smiled. Although her feelings were platonic, she still loved Sam and was glad he'd been in her life for so long and had been the brother she never had.

The blonde was tucking the blanket around him tighter when she saw movement from the corner of her eye. Santana was standing awkwardly by the kitchen, unsure what to do. Brittany stood up and walked over to the other girl.

She still had on her dark jeans but had switched her ruined shirt for one of Brittany's grey sweaters. It was a little big on her but she made it work.

"You look good," Brittany said and shot her a wink. Santana looked down but Brittany caught the shy smile that crept onto her face. This was the second time she'd tried to hide her bashfulness and Brittany thought it was adorable.

"Thanks," the brunette mumbled and looked down at the white shirt in her hand. "Would you mind washing this? I don't want to have to carry it with me during the interview." Brittany nodded and took the garment before tossing it unceremoniously into the hallway in front of the laundry room door. Santana laughed and shook her head at the blonde's antics.

"Let me walk you to the station?" Brittany offered and Santana nodded with a smile.

Brittany cast one last glance at Sam before leading Santana out to the hallway and locking the door behind them.

* * *

The pair walked quietly down the street, taking in the crisp air. The leaves were beginning to change to warm colors of red and brown and it made Brittany happy to know it would start getting cold soon.

"Is it just you and Sam at your apartment?" Santana asked as they waited for the crosswalk to change.

"Nah, we have another roommate but she's not around much," Brittany explained. The light changed and they walked across. "We moved to New York together, though," she continued. "He's been my best friend for basically my whole life, we do everything together."

"So are you two…" Santana trailed and raised her eyebrows suggestively and Brittany quickly shook her head.

"No way," she said with a small laugh. "I love him, and we tried dating in high school, but we decided we're better off as friends."

They arrived at the subway station and Santana turned to face Brittany. "Thanks for walking me and thanks for lunch," she smiled.

"Anytime," Brittany said with a wave of her hand.

They stood there, neither sure what to do next when Santana spoke. "Are you busy tonight?" she asked and Brittany shook her head, taken back by her sudden question. "Well my roommates and I are having a little get together tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come? You can bring Sam," she added with a hopeful smile.

Brittany was taken aback by the invitation but recovered quickly. "I would love to," she said and Santana flashed her a broad grin.

"Great!" She looked down at her phone to check the time. "Well I've really got to go, but I'll see you tonight," she said and walked down the steps of the stairs, giving her a small wave and a promise to text the address.

Brittany waited until she couldn't see the other girl before sliding her sunglasses back on and starting her walk back home.

She felt a buzz in her pocket and took out her phone. Seeing she had a new message, she unlocked her phone and smiled when she saw it was from Santana. There was an address with a short message.

 _ **Santana: c u 2nite**_

* * *

Sam was awake when Brittany returned home.

"How was lunch?" he asked, not looking up from his game. Brittany looked to the TV and saw he was playing the same game he'd fallen asleep playing.

"It was fine," she replied, walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Who was that girl that was here? She was hot as hell," Sam said and Brittany glared at the side of his head before sipping her water.

"First, I thought you'd grown out of fake sleeping and second, that was Santana. The girl from the subway," Brittany explained and watched Sam play his game. "You're not busy tonight, are you?" she asked and he shook his head before throwing her a curious look. "Santana invited us to dinner at her place for a get together she and her roommates are having," she continued. Sam looked away from his game fully to flash her a broad grin.

"Awesome."

* * *

The cold afternoon chill bit at Brittany's neck as she walked down the street with Sam. She pulled up the collar of her jacket and shoved her hands in the pockets, her fingers nervously running back and forth over her lighter.

After they'd gotten off the subway and started their walk through Bushwick, Brittany had been on edge. Not wanting to smell like cigarette smoke when she met Santana's roommates she'd opted out of having a smoke on the way and she couldn't wait to take a break later in the night. Sam had picked up on her shift in moods and hadn't tried talking to her for a couple of blocks.

Brittany had never been good at talking to people. She tried using humor to break the ice but no one ever picked up on her jokes and assumed she was just another blonde airhead. It had been a thrill when she hit it off with Santana but now, meeting her roommates and friends, Brittany could feel herself shrinking in on herself.

Sam picked up on this shift as well and playfully nudged her shoulder and flashed her a reassuring grin that she couldn't help but return.

"Did your friend tell you what we're gonna eat?" Sam asked in an attempt to calm down the fidgeting girl next to him.

Brittany shook her head. "She just said to come hungry. She mentioned that one of her roommates is vegan so we'll see what happens," she sighed and returned to her silent state.

The pair rounded a corner and Brittany checker the address Santana had texted her to make sure they were going the right way. As she was sliding the device back into her pocket, it buzzed and Brittany pulled it out to read the message from Santana.

 _ **Santana: almost here?**_

 _ **Brittany: ya, on ur street**_

 _ **Santana: 4th floor, apt 406**_

Brittany slid her phone back into her pocket and read the building numbers until they were at the right one. The two stood in front of the huge brick building, both waiting for the other person to move to go inside.

"Shall we?" Sam smirked at her and led the way inside.

Brittany took a deep breath before following him inside.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Sorry it took so long to get this posted, school has been kicking my butt. Also sorry about the length and the small cliffhanger, I just wanted to get this posted. Next chapter is when things are going to really start getting set into motion so we'll see how it goes from there.**

 **Thanks so much for the follows and favs and reviews! I appreciate them very much! Feedback is welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ahhhhhh sorry it's been so long! I thought I'd have more time during the summer but ironically I was busier than when school was happening. Hopefully, I'll be able to get into a somewhat regular schedule, though I don't know what that means yet. I'm going to start getting busy again the closer to December it gets because of finals and rehearsal and auditions but I'm going to try really hard to get chapters written and posted. I know where I want the story to go, I just need to actually do it. I appreciate the comments and favorites and follows so much! I'm always open to feedback so this is great!**

 **Please enjoy this chapter, I think this one really sets the story in motion!**

* * *

The ride up the elevator was silent, Brittany continuing her nervous fidgeting. Not being able to stand it, Sam leaned over and grabbed Brittany's hand, effectively ending her movements. She peered up at him and he gave her hand a small squeeze.

"It's gonna be okay, Britt, I'll be with you the whole time," he reassured her and Brittany allowed herself a chance to relax.

Sam continued to hold her hand as they made their way down the hallway, reading the numbers until they reached the sign that read _406._

Taking a deep breath, Brittany raised her free hand and knocked on the large door. Sam gave her hand another squeeze just before the door slid open, revealing a short girl with long brown hair and a broad grin.

"You must be Brittany and Sam!" she chirped and, without waiting for a response, yelled over her shoulder "Santana! Your friends are here!" and pulled the pair inside.

Brittany allowed herself a moment to take in the room. It seemed to be one large space separated by hung up curtains and furniture. There were a few other people in various spots around the apartment, including a guy in a wheelchair who caught her eye and shot her a smile and wave. Brittany was about to wave back when the girl spoke again.

"Let me take those for you," she said in the same spritely manner and helped Brittany pull off her jacket and hang it up on a rack. Sam did the same and once he was done Brittany immediately sought out his hand. "Santana was very excited that you said you would be joining us tonight. I must say that it is refreshing to see her making new friends considering how awful her social skills are," the girl said and Brittany gave her a puzzled look. Santana hadn't seemed that bad. In fact, she was pleasant to be around and Brittany couldn't see why anyone wouldn't want to be her friend.

The girl opened her mouth to say something more when Santana suddenly appeared from the kitchen to Brittany's left. She flashed Brittany a broad grin before nodding politely to Sam. Turning to face the short brunette, Santana's face morphed into a scowl as she looked down at her.

"Berry, stop scaring my new friends away," she said and grabbed the girls shoulders to give her a gentle nudge towards the living room. The girl huffed her annoyance but let Santana push her away.

 _Berry as in_ Rachel _Berry?_ Brittany though as she recalled what Santana had told her about her roommates.

Santana gave her an exasperated look and opened her mouth to speak when the girl spoke again. "I'm Rachel, by the way!" the girl called, confirming Brittany's guess. Santana rolled her eyes at the small girl before turning back to Brittany.

"Sorry about that, you'll learn to tune her out," she laughed and Brittany just nodded, not sure what kind of reaction was acceptable. "I'm glad you could make it," she smiled and Brittany felt her mouth spread into an involuntary, but not unwelcome, grin.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied honestly and watched as Santana's smile grew. Their eyes locked and Brittany was once again drawn into the never-ending brown of her eyes.

A cough next to her caught her attention and her eyes snapped to where Sam was giving her a smug look. Brittany cleared he throat, willing her face to not heat up and turned back to Santana who appeared to be doing the same.

 _Interesting._

"Santana, you remember Sam," Brittany said as a way of introduction and watched as Santana's eyes skirted over him, her eyes lingering on the hand grasped tightly in Brittany's before looking him in the face.

"Yes, I do. I hope you had a nice nap," she said, offering him a smile that he returned. "Would you guys like a drink?" she asked and accepted their nodded acceptance to the offer.

Following Santana into the kitchen, Brittany noticed the other people in the apartment not-so-subtly looking at the newcomers. Looking around, she didn't see Puck and hoped maybe he wasn't there when she spotted him in the kitchen pouring a drink. He glanced up when he noticed them approaching but did a double take when he saw Sam.

"Evans?" he called with a disbelieving grin that Sam quickly mirrored upon seeing the owner of the voice.

"Puck!" he said back and let go of Brittany's hand to pull him into a bro hug. Santana turned to Brittany with a questioning look but all Brittany could do was shrug back at her.

"Care to explain what's happening because I am thoroughly confused," Santana said and the boys turned back to where Brittany and Santana were throwing them curious looks.

"Remember the other day when I played football with those guys at the park?" Sam asked and didn't wait for Brittany to respond before he continued. "Well, Puck was one the guys I met there!" he explained and suddenly it all made sense.

"Chang is here," Puck said and after an excited look from Sam, the two were off to go see this Chang person.

Staring disbelievingly at their retreating forms, Santana let out a small laugh while Brittany stood frozen in place. Sam was gone. Although she was glad he knew someone and wouldn't be stuck glued to her side, she wasn't ready for her one source of emotional support to be gone so soon.

Blues eyes landed on the group of bottles spread around on the kitchen counter before moving forward to pour herself a drink. Seconds later Santana was at her side doing the same. Brittany glanced over and saw her mixing together various drinks and adding in some fruit.

When the two were done, they leaned against the counter, enjoying the silence that fell over them. Usually, Brittany was freaked out by weird silences and always tried to fill them with whatever came to her mind but not this time. This time she was content to stand next to her new friend and try to get a little drunk as fast as possible without straight up chugging something.

After a while, Santana spoke. "It's so crazy how Sam and Puck know each other," she mused and Brittany nodded her agreement. Santana brought her colorful drink to her lips and Brittany tried to subtly check her out. She was unsuccessful, and Santana turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

Brittany flushed and quickly looked down to the ground. She could feel Santana's questioning eyes still on her so she looked back up to meet her gaze. "C-can I try that?" she asked, knowing her cover-up wasn't all that great but not knowing how else to explain herself without coming clean.

Santana was silent as she handed over the drink and Brittany took a sip. The blonde made a face before handing it back and Santana couldn't help but laugh at the scrunched up look. "Something wrong?" She asked, her voice laced with amusement.

"Too sour," was the short response before Brittany took another sip of her own drink to try and take the taste away. When she looked back to her companion she saw a devious glint in her eye.

"So I take it you wouldn't be opposed to shots?" She asked and before Brittany could answer Santana was around the counter and pulling down shot glasses. She made an announcement for everyone to come to the kitchen and before Brittany was sure what was happening everyone from the living room was standing with her with a shot glass in their hand. The bottle was passed around and everyone filled up before raising them in a toast.

"To Rachel and her long-awaited debut!" Someone - _Kurt,_ Brittany remembered - yelled and everyone clinked their glasses before knocking back the burning liquid.

Everyone remained congregated around the counter in the kitchen and Brittany got the chance to meet everyone. She found out most of them were only in town for the week to see Rachel's opening night.

The night went on smoothly and Brittany felt her anxieties about being around a group of new people falling away as she was accepted into the tight group of friends.

* * *

After a few more drinks, Brittany found herself in a drunken game of Twister with Mike - who had been the mysterious Chang - Puck, and Santana. The game was mandated by Artie from his wheelchair while everyone else circled around them to watch and place bets.

They were in a tangled mess on the floor and after Artie called out Puck's next move, his attempt was in vain as he slipped on the plastic mat. Some cheered while others groaned while money was exchanged at Puck's disqualification.

Artie spun the wheel and Santana let out a gasp and quickly had to catch herself as the trio readjusted their position. "Which one of you just touched my ass?" She asked, craning her neck to shoot warning looks to the two remaining players. She had almost lost her footing at the surprise touch and she wasn't about to lose because one of these fuckers couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

Mike shook his head while Brittany gave her a smug grin. "My hand slipped," she cooed as she moved her left leg to the dictated spot. On Mike's turn, he had to move so he was hovering over Santana and one wrong move would cause the girl to fall flat on the ground.

Artie spun again and called out where Santana was to move and everyone made noises of anticipation as the move would call for Santana to turn her body completely over while still being under Mike.

The group of spectators began to chant her name as she nimbly maneuvered herself to reach across the mat and adjust herself so she wouldn't fall. Her hand was almost at the right colored dot when Brittany reached her knee up to brush against Santana's ass again which caused her to lose her concentration as she fell to the floor.

A mix of cheers and groans spread around the room as more money was given and taken coupled with triumphant and defeated looks.

Brittany threw Santana another smug look as the dark-haired girl made her way to the couch where she angrily sipped on her drink and glared daggers at the blonde. "I'll remember this night, Pierce," she seethed but Brittany remained in wavered by the threat. Instead, she turned her attention back to her opponent, who looked like he was struggling to remain upright.

"It's just you and me, Chang," she quipped and received a determined look back.

"Oh, it's on, new girl," he retorted and Artie continued on with his instructions.

Three moves later and the room was abuzz with anticipation as the move called for Brittany to have her body practically spread flat across the mat in an unnatural position.

Brittany wasn't concerned.

She'd been a dancer her whole life and was always amazing herself at what her body could do.

With swift agility, Brittany crossed her right leg over her left to reach the spot and remained unwavering in the awkward position. More groans and cheers followed as money was, yet again, exchanged between the onlookers.

Brittany was too busy giving her new friend a shit-eating grin.

Ever since Santana had been disqualified, she had remained staring at Brittany, waiting for the slip up the blonde never seemed to have.

Santana groaned as Brittany remained in the game and took the last gulp of her drink before getting up to refill it.

The dark haired girl returned just in time to see Mike finally fall and Brittany jump into the air triumphantly. Sam walked over and gave Brittany a high five before she shook Mike's hand in camaraderie. Brittany looked to where she left her drink but didn't see the plastic cup there.

A tap on her shoulder got her attention and she turned to see Santana with the missing drink in her hand. "I refilled it for you," she said as she passed it to the blonde who accepted it with a small thank you.

Brittany took a sip without looking at the contents and nearly spit it out when she tasted the drink Santana had earlier but it was ten times worse this time. She looked at Santana who was trying to contain her laugh as she gave the blonde a smug look. "That's what you get for cheating," she said before giving Brittany her real cup back so Brittany could wash out the sour taste.

"It's not cheating if it was an accident," Brittany countered and Santana scoffed.

"'Accident' my ass," she countered and was about to say more when the girl that was supposedly a hit singer in LA - _Mercedes_ , Brittany recalled someone call her - called her over. Excusing herself, Santana walked away and left Brittany standing alone.

Brittany looked around to see everyone had resigned to lounging around talking and drinking and decided now was as good a time as any to take a break outside.

She walked over to where Rachel has put her and Sam's coats before pulling on her jacket and finding the nearest window. She slid it open and slipped out onto the fire escape before sliding it back closed so the cold air wouldn't penetrate the warm atmosphere inside.

The air was chillier than it had been when they had first arrived and Brittany wished she had grabbed Sam's jacket as well.

Lighting up a cigarette, Brittany cupped her hands around the end so the smoke would help warm her hands. The only light was from the end of the stick and the lighter that Brittany was flicking on and off. Inside, a chorus of cheers erupted and minutes later music began to play as people began to sing along. Not being one for karaoke, the blonde was glad she got out when she did.

A few more songs were sung, and Santana's claims that her friends were the most amazing singers she'd ever heard turned out to be true. Brittany smiled at the thought of her new friend. She wasn't so sure about her thing with Mohawk Man, but she was sure about the shy glances she'd caught Santana giving her and their lingering gazes they'd shared.

Her mind was still on Santana when the noise from inside grew significantly louder and then quiet again as the window slid open. Brittany looked over and saw the person who had been invading her thoughts slip through the window and close it behind her.

Brittany blew out the smoke that was in her mouth away from Santana as she sat next to her and shot her a smile.

"I thought you might be chilly out here," Santana smiled back and Brittany noticed for the first time that Santana had brought a heavy blanket. She draped it over both of their legs before scooting closer into Brittany's side. "I was going to ask if you wanted to sing a song but I couldn't find you. Mike said he saw you come out here," She explained and Brittany nodded as she took another drag. She offered the cigarette to Santana who shook her head politely.

"I'm not much of a singer, but you weren't kidding when you said your friends could sing," Brittany said, remembering how she'd heard someone belting out Whitney Houston. Santana smiled and nodded.

They sat in silence, Brittany enjoying the feeling of Santana pressed against her side searching for warmth while she looked up at the starless sky.

"I hope it starts snowing soon," Brittany mused, remembering how pretty New York is when it's covered in a fresh coat of powder.

"I love the snow, it reminds me of home," Santana said and went on to talk about her and her friends would meet at the park and have snowball fights when they were little. Brittany laughed when Santana told her a story about when she was running in the snow but didn't know there was a dip so she fell deep into the snow.

"I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was so embarrassed I ran to my Abuela's house sobbing," Santana continued after their fit of giggles subsided. "She brought me inside and make me horchata while I changed into warm clothes," Santana's smile was fond and then sad. Brittany could tell by the longing look in her eyes that she missed her grandma greatly.

"Do you get to visit her a lot?" Brittany asked, cautious in case Santana was so sad because her Abuela was dead.

Santana's smile faded and she gave a slight shake of her head. "She, uh- she doesn't want to see me," she admitted softly.

"Why not?" Brittany startled. That was not the answer she was expecting, and decided this was much worse than if her Abuela was simply not in this world anymore. "She seems like she cares a lot about you," Brittany said and Santana looked down at her lap that was hidden beneath the blanket.

"I don't want to talk about it," she murmured, ignoring the way Brittany was trying to her to look back into blue eyes.

There was a tense silence as Brittany thought about ways to cheer up her friend. An idea popped into her head and she looked over at Santana. She put out her almost gone cigarette on the wall before tossing it over the side of the fire escape and standing up, pulling the blanket with her.

Dark eyes shot up to look at her but were calmed by the easy smile Brittany was giving her.

"I may not be one for singing, but I'm a pretty good dancer," Brittany said and watched as Santana gave her a small smile. Offering her a hand, Brittany helped Santana stand up and crawl back through the window.

The party was still in full swing as Rachel and Kurt sang a duet. Still holding hands, Brittany pulled Santana to the makeshift dance floor where everyone had congregated and was glad to see Santana's smile grow as they danced with everyone else. After a few songs, they were split up, but Brittany was happy to dance with Mike, who quickly challenged her to a dance off. It was small at first, but once everyone caught on to what they were doing they formed a circle and cheered them on.

They were both exhausted by the end of it and ended up calling it a tie. Someone passed her bottle of water that she chugged all at once.

"You're a pretty good dancer," Mike said, having finished his own bottle of water. "You should come by my studio sometime, we're looking for a new hip hop instructor," he said, pulling out a business card from his wallet and handing it to her. Brittany accepted it with a smile.

"Thanks," she said and he flashed her a smile before heading to the kitchen to get a drink.

Brittany slipped the card into her pocket and spotted Sam sitting on the couch sipping a beer. She walked over and plopped next to him, accepting his offered drink. "You're such a show off," he said, but Brittany could hear the pride in his voice. He was the one who encouraged her to pursue dancing, after all.

She handed back his drink and gave him a cocky smirk before leaning her head on his shoulder and watched as everyone continued taking turns singing and dancing with warm content. Brittany wasn't sure what she had expected when she accepted Santana's invitation, but it certainly wasn't a fun group of people who immediately accepted her and Sam into their obviously tight-knit family.

As she watched, she spotted Santana dancing with Puck. Brittany wasn't sure why, but she felt a pang of jealousy as she watched them press up close against each other to the sultry song Mercedes was singing.

Of course, that wasn't true. She knew why she was jealous. She wanted it to be her hands on Santana's hips as they swayed to the music. Wished it was her whispering sweet nothings into her ear as she tried not to blush.

The more she watched, the more she couldn't ignore the tight feeling in her chest. Puck pulled away from her for a brief moment before leaning down to press his lips against Santana's.

Sam startled when Brittany stood up abruptly, saying she was going to get a drink and brisking to her destination.

Brittany was thankful she was alone in the kitchen so she could have a few minutes to calm down. She knew she was being irrational. She'd only know Santana for barely a week. It had only been a few days since their fateful meeting on the train.

The train, she remembered bitterly, that Santana had been on with Mohawk Man.

Brittany rolled her eyes at the thought of his adolescent haircut and wondered what it was about him that enticed Santana so.

Grabbing the nearest bottle, she poured herself a cup without reading the bottle and took a long sip, relishing in the burning feeling it left on her throat and the warmth it spread as it settled into her belly. She stood like that for a few minutes, taking slow sips every now and then, until she felt herself begin to calm as she regained her buzz.

Topping off her drink, Brittany returned to the living room but saw her spot was taken by Mercedes. She was talking animatedly to Sam who was hanging on to every word he said. Brittany smiled. Sam needed someone nice who would be a good influence on him.

Rather than butting in on their conversation, Brittany decided to join Mike, Artie, Rachel, and Kurt around the coffee table where a game of Cards Against Humanities was beginning. After a few rounds of nonstop laughter and watching Mike fall over because he was laughing so hard, Brittany decided this was her favorite game to play while drunk. Early on, Rachel had decided the game was too "childish and severely inappropriate" and had discarded her hand, resigning to watch with a distasteful gaze that no one paid attention to.

Brittany was disappointed to not see Santana or Puck, and decided she'd rather not know where they disappeared off to. Instead of focusing on her slowly souring mood, she focused on making everyone else laugh so hard they couldn't breathe, and trying to ignore the way Artie was so blatantly staring at her.

* * *

By 2:30 am, it was decided that everyone was too drunk to go home and were invited to stay the night. Santana, Kurt, and Rachel pulled the pillows and blankets off of their bed and made a giant pallet in the middle of the living room.

Santana and Puck had returned at some point, but Brittany was too busy trying not to pass out while she attempted - and succeeded - in outdrinking Sam.

The lights went out and everyone settled into the makeshift bed. Brittany felt like a teenager again and smiled. Having huge sleepovers with her friends was the fondest part of her childhood because it was the only time she felt she could really let loose and have fun.

Her smile grew as she saw Santana crawl over to lay next to her. Brown eyes met blue, and even in the dark Brittany could see their slight sparkle. Santana gave her a shy smile and Brittany felt the corners of her mouth pulling upwards in response.

"Did you have fun?" Santana whispered, conscious of the sleeping bodies around them. Brittany nodded her response. "Do you think Sam had fun?" She asked. Brittany leaned up on her arm to where Sam was wrapped tight in a blanket against the couch, a peaceful look on his sleeping face. She remembered how content he looked while talking to Mercedes and when he was catching up with his friends from the park.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, and as an afterthought added, "I think he likes your friend Mercedes," to which Santana smiled.

"I think the feeling might be mutual," she said back. Brittan laid back down and faced her new friend again. Again, Brittany found herself falling into those brown eyes, unable to resist their pull. Santana stared back, saying nothing. Brittany didn't want to ever look away, but she remembered the way Puck had been holding Santana while they danced, and she forced herself to look at the floor instead.

"Goodnight, Santana," she whispered, rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. She heard Santana whisper back a quiet goodnight but it was a few seconds before she heard her settle into sleep.

Brittany fell asleep shortly after, her dreams filled with laughter, dancing, and unrelenting brown eyes.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks again for reading! I didn't edit this after I wrote it in an effort to get it posted so if there's something wrong or something doesn't make sense please let me know!**

 **I'm going to start working on the next chapter as soon as I can, all I ask is that you guys stay patient! Feedback is welcome! I've been working on making chapters longer but longer chapters mean longer time between updates so we'll see what happens.**

 **Also feel free to send me a pm or whatever! My tumblr is 4lesspossum if you're interested. It's mostly just random junk that I think is funny or relevant.**


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